Game or sales promotion device



Aug. 17, 1937. ZUMPANO 1 2,090,091

GAME OR SALES PROMOTION DEVICE 0 Filed Aug. 11, 1936 5 E? w xxxgram Patented Aug. 17, 19377 UNlTED stares PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to games of amusement which may be used for sales promotion purposes, as for example, to attract customers to stores and the like by allowing one play or chance to each purchaser for each purchase of at least a certain fixed amount of merchandise. It has particular relation to games in which a player selects a nonidentiflable cord or string from a confused mass or bunch of cords or strings and by pulling the cord or string moves a game member to a posi tion where a distinguishing number, color, or other indicia is made visible. The selected indicia may call for a prize, such as a loaf of bread, a candy bar, or other suitable article, according to a predetermined plan of operation.

One object of the invention is to provide a game of the above mentioned character which is in a self-contained unit and which may be inexpensively manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game of the above character in which the indicia of the game elements are concealed within the unit when the game elements are in normal in operative condition.

Other objects will be seen from the following brief description of the apparatus in connection with the accompanying drawing thereof.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus used and embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, the back panel having been removed.

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the drawing, I is a cabinet suitably supported, as for example by hanging brackets ll, H. In the front face of the cabinet i0 is an opening i2, which may be closed with a sheet of transparent material it such as glass, celluloid, etc. The back of the cabinet may be provided with a hinged panel is tofacilitate entry to the inside of the cabinet for the purpose of repairs or alterations. The blank spaces on the front panel of the cabinet may be used for advertising matter or for posting the list of prizes and the rules of the game.

Hingedly mounted at one end, on a suitable block 14 on the bottom of the cabinet l0, are a plurality of game elements I5, l5 the latter having suitable identifying indicia thereon normally concealed within the cabinet away from the opening l2. Attached to the free end of each (01. 273-438) game element I5 is anon-identifiable flexible member l6, such as cord or string, which members may be passed through guide members H, H suitably arranged above the opening I2 in the front panel. After guide members ll, H, the members it, I6 may be bunched and passed through a single guide member I8 and thence through an opening IS in the bottom of the cabinet in a confused mass. The game elements E5, I5 may be held in the normally concealed position by means of suitable springs 20, 20 attached to the free ends thereof. Other game elements, such as a well known type of mechanically actuated bell 2 i may be mounted on the bottom of the cabinet and having suitably connected to its actuator a flexible member 22, the latter of which becomes a part of the confused mass of flexible members l6, 16.

In the operation of the game the player selects one of the flexible members from the confused mass and by pulling thereon causes one of the game members 55 to swing independently on its hinged connection to a position indicated in chain-dotted lines in Figures 1, 2, and 3, in which position the indicia on said member is visible through the opening l2 in the cabinet Hi. When the selected flexible member is released the game member attached thereto will be pulled back to its normally inoperative position by the spring 20. Various prizes may be given for various selected indicia and a special prize may be given for ringing the bell 2| when the flexible member 22 happens to be selected and pulled by the player.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 4 the game members I5 instead of having indicia thereon, are provided with contact points 23, 23 adapted to contact with corresponding contact points on electric bulbs 24, 26 suitably mounted in the front panel of the cabinet Ill. The electric bulbs 24, 24 may be provided with suitable identifying indicia thereon such as numbers or colors. A suitable wiring circuit with connections to all bulbs may be provided, as indicated diagrammatically at 25, the necessary current for which may be provided by a battery 26 or other source of electricity.

The operation of the modified form of the apparatus is almost identical to the operation of the first form, the selection of the flexible members being made in the same manner. However, when the selected flexible member is pulled one of the game members l5 is caused to be swung to the positions indicated by chain-dotted lines in Figure 4, thereby making an electrical conbeing passed through the nection between contact 23 and its respective identifiable bulb 24 and causing the latter to light. Various prizes may be given for various selections of indicia on the bulbs 24. Other electrical signal devices such as bells, etc. may be employed either with or without the use of light bulbs.

Modification other than those disclosed herein may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A game-device comprising a self-contained unit including a cabinet, a number of game elements normally concealed in the cabinet and having suitable distinguishing indicia thereon, said cabinet having an opening therein through which said indicia may be visible, said elements being independently movable from their normally concealed positions to positions in which said indicia are visible through said opening, said cabinet having an aperture therein and means for moving said elements comprising flexible members connected thereto and gathered or bunched and extended outwardly in gathered or bunched relation through said aperture, said members being non-identifiable outside of the cabinet with the elements with which they are connected, and a mechanically operable signal device in said unit having a flexible member connected to its actuator said last-named flexible member being also extended through said aperture in non-identifiable bunched relation with the first-named flexible members.

2. A game-device comprising a self-contained unit including a cabinet, a number of game elements normally concealed in the cabinet and having suitable distinguishing indicia thereon, said cabinet having an opening therein through which said indicia may be visible, said elements being independently movable from their normally concealed positions to positions in which said indicia are visible through said opening, said cabinet having an aperture therein and means for moving said elements comprising flexible members connected thereto and gathered or bunched and extended outwardly in gathered or bunched relation through said aperture, said members being non-identifiable outside of the cabinet with the elements with which they are connected.

3. A game device comprising a self-contained unit including a cabinet, distinguishing indicia, means whereby said indicia may be displayed at the front of the cabinet, said cabinet having housed therein a plurality of movable elements adapted to display upon movement thereof various of said distinguishing indicia, said cabinet having an aperture therein, flexible members connected to said elements and extended in bunched non-identifiable relation inside said cabinet and then through said aperture and outwardly of the cabinet, there being guides in the cabinet over which the flexible elements are extended whereby an element may be actuated by pulling one of said members outwardly of the cabinet, said distinguishing indicia comprising electrical signal devices and said movable elements comprising switches for establishing circuits to said signal devices.

TONY ZUMPANO. 

